Automatic safeguard for vehicles.



E. SWINDELL.

AUTOMATIC SAFEGUARD FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 26. 19l5.

Pawnted Nov. Hi, PM

2 SHEETS SHEET 1.

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E. SWINDELL. AUTOMATIVC SAFEGUARD FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, ms. 1,160,341 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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EDWARD SWINDE LL, OF GALYESTUN; TEXAS.

sororanrrc sAFEdUARD For; VEHICLES,

To all whom itmaycovwrn:

thefender is compressed.

A-fnrthe r object is to provide a fender which will-not only prevent a person from being run ovcr by the front wheels of the vehicle, but will prevent injury due to contact with the fender, and still another object is to mount the fender in such a way that it will always be kept directly in front of the vehicle when going around curves as well as .when running along a straight road.

Other objects will appear, as the descr ption proceeds. v The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawingswvhich constitute a part of this specification, and then more specifically delined in the claims at the end of the descrip tion. s I

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:.Fig'iire 1 a side elevation of the front end portionof an automobile equipped with my improved fender. Fig.

is a plan view of the tender and the front portion'of the chassis of the automobile. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the fender. Fig. 4 is a side BlEJJEltlOIl of the carriage or support for the pneumatic fender globe, parts being shown in section, and the posilion of the globe thereon 'indica ted in dotted Specification of Letters Patent.

sists of a substantially rounds eleton frame 'running in the ordinary way. The rollers 'lar rear portion of the carriage and up past- Pat ntecnos'r. igsfieis.

Application filed February 2s, 1915. Serial No. 10,688.

the body of the yehicle 'and between the front wheels thereof-is a carriage or snp port 3for a pneumatic globe or-bulb 4 which is preferably of such dimensions as to ex'tend well in front of the wheels and across the entire width of the vehicle. 1

The carriage 3 .is ener'ally circular in plan, as best illustrate 'inx'Fi 5', andcon- 5 supported on three rallei-s fiend-extending upwardly'at its rear port' 11, as at 7,which' is generally semi -ei rcular t inform so as to, hold the globe 4 in ,propeit'position whena collision occurs and also when-the vehicle} are preferably mounted oil-bowed strips 8, the middle one of which extends through a pocket 9 in. the upwardly curved semi-circu the center of the globe, conforming to th curvature of the surface of said globe.,..as best shown in Fig. 1 at 10.

The carriage 3 is connected to the vehicle by a swivel or ball jointll, best illustrated in Fig. 4, which is moun'tedon the front axle 12. Said carriage isalso-connectedby links 13 to arms'M on the'stub axles of the front wheels, so that when said wheelsaire turned in steering, the carri'a e oi the tender will be moved with then an always be'po sitioned directly in front dithegvehicle when going around curves as wanes when-Tunning along a straight romlw v In order to permit the, carriage .to are raised with its supporting rollers clear of the road when desired, as when running over a rough stretch of road, I provide aplate 15 hinged at 16 to the-axle 12.and having its free lower end adapted to engage theszarriage well below its ball joint. Thishinged plate 15 may be operated, or swung by means of a hand lever 17 pivoted at 18 and connected to said plate by a rod-lil swhereby' thc front part of theca-rriage may be raised or if lowered at will. i i

The frame 5 of the carriage may have av flange or head 20 around its front'and lateral edges, and the globe 4 may be provided with a correspondingly shaped depending tubnlar portion 21 which hangs over said flange or head when the globeis in position over the carriage, as shown in Figs. 1,3 and 4.. Said tubular portion is connected to the globe by a skirt portion. 22, the latter and i the tubular portion being both hollow and communicating with the interior of the l be so that they will all be inflated at the same time. tube '2 containing acheck valve ll. is used for inflating the globe and its tiubular aml skirt portions. Said tube -n:a v. n course. be extended to'an v suitable place on the vehicle. Another tube 15 leads from the globe to a cylinder. 14 connected in any .suitable n'mnner (not shown) to the brake applying mechanism, the object being .lo utilize the pneumatic pressure which is expelled from the globe. when" the same is compressed in a collision. for automatically app-l ving tlie'brakes of the vehicle and bringing the latter to a standstill. The tube 12.1 is rovided with a check valve '27 near the cylinder-2t) for preventing air from I -passing fronv said cylmder back JiltO the globe. It will be understood that when a. 'colhs1on occurs, the pressure of the person or article struck by the globular fender will cause the latter to collapse and force the air therefrom through the tube into the brake applying cylinder. and that such person or article will be enveloped in the folds of the collapsed pneumatic globe, thereby prevent- 111% serious injury to personsor property.

Iavin'g thus described my invention, what I claiinas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United" States is:-

1. A pneumatic fender for vehicles in combination with means for applying the' brakes of the vehicle when the fender is compressed, said fender being globular .in form andj collapsible whereby when brought in contact with an object, theobject will be enveloped in the folds of. the fender.

2. A pneumatic fender for vehicles in combination-with air brakes, and means for utilizing'the air forced from said fender, when the latter is compressed, for operating said air b rakes. v v

3. A pneumatic fender. for vehicles having means for supporting the aim; in front of a--vehi cle, said fender being globular in .t'orm-and. collapsible whereby when brought ,in contact with an object, the object; will be enveloped in the folds of the fender.

A. globular fender for vehicles in combination with a swiveled carriage for supporting the same in front of a vehicle, and

means for swinging said carriage up and down from the interior of the vehicle. said fender being collapsible, whereby when brought in contact with an ob ect. the ob ect will be enveloped in the folds of the lender.

, the. same at the front of a vehieIe said carriage having a substantially circular base portion and a generally semi-circular upwardly curved rear portion forming a seat for the pneumatic fender. the latter being substantially spherical in form.

4. A pneumatic fendertor vehicles incombination with a carriage for supporting the same at the front: of a vehicle, said earriage having a substantially circular base @portion and a generally semi-circular upwardly curved rear portion forming a seat for the pneumatic lender, the latter being substantially spherical in form, and the carriage having a portion projecting well above the center of the spherical fender and constituting a continuation of the curvedrear portion for holding said fender in position when a collision occurs.

H. A globular fender for vehicles in combination with a carriage for supporting the same at the front of a vehicle, said carriage having a flange around its front and lateral edges. said fender being substantially spherical inform and having a tubular portion to fit over the flange on the fender, and a skirt'portion connecting said tubular portion to the main part of the globular fender.

In' testimony whereof-I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

, EDWARD SWINDELL. Witnesses J. A. CAMraiON, I W. K-NoLLMAN. 

